Co-sleeping transition to crib...Anyone successful without the CIO method?

I seem to have created a pattern for my 8 month old. He goes down in his crib at 8pm and wakes around 11:30 or 12 at which time I nurse him. Recently, when I put him back in his crib as soon as his head hits the mattress he screams! I try to console him without picking him up but it doesn't work. He seems to get more irritated-kicking his legs up and crying more. I resort to picking him up and rocking him to sleep and the whole thing repeats itself. At my wits end I bring him to sleep with me. Now he is use to it and I can't break the cycle. I work 50 hours a week and am completley exhausted! I'm not a fan of the CIO method so I wanted to get some tips from anyone who has used other means to get baby to sleep in crib all night.

Any suggestions? I know this is such a common concern with Moms and most likely has been discussed many times but I'm hoping someone will respond anyway.

Re: Co-sleeping transition to crib...Anyone successful without the CIO method?

CIO is the only thing that ever worked for my three kids. I don't remember how it worked with my first, but with my second, we had no choice but to CIO. We'd tried the feber method, but it just prolonged the inevitable. I don't remember what age we actually started CIO with her, but I do remember that at 9 months old, my daughter had learned how to manipulate myself and her daddy! After the first time I let her CIO, when I put her to bed she'd cry for maybe 30 seconds and then go to sleep. When her Daddy tried to let her CIO, he couldn't handle it and he'd go get her after just a couple of minutes! So whenever he put her to bed, she cried for at least 45 minutes before her i-d-i-o-t (read: GENIUS) Daddy would go in and try to rock her (she'd just get all hyper and play with him then).... then he'd put her back in her bed and she'd scream another 45 minutes or so before she'd finally pass out (unless he went and got her out again....). They went through that cycle until he finally wised up and quit going in there.

With my third child (10 months old now), we did CIO at around 6-7 months.... the first couple of times we did it was at naptime, because she was still sleeping in our room at night. Fortunately her Daddy knew better this time, so he didn't rescue her, and it only took a couple of times before she got used to sleeping in her crib at naptime. The night time transition was a breeze after that!

CIO is a tough thing to do, but it really is worth it. You aren't abandoning your son, or making him feel unloved, or screwing him up for any amount of time. What you are doing is teaching your son how to calm himself down and soothe and comfort himself. This is a very important skill that a baby needs to learn, and they will become independent and self sufficient because of it. My daughters are as secure and happy as a child can be. They know they are loved and special, they love snuggling with me on occasion (maybe once or twice a week if I let them) while their Dad is gone (he's deployed), but they have no problems sleeping in their own beds either.

Last thing..... CIO is not a method only used by selfish moms who just want sleep (I have heard that argument too many times to count!). A good nights sleep is absolutely crucial to a mommy.... especially a working mommy! Your son needs you to be at your best in order for you to be able to take care of him properly. CIO not only benefits you in getting you a good night's sleep, but it benefits your son, because it gives him a fully functioning mommy!!! Hope this helps!

Re: Co-sleeping transition to crib...Anyone successful without the CIO method?

I agree with marisuela, I had to use the CIO method. It was the only way I could get my son to sleep in his bed. I still hold him until he falls asleep, but once I put him in bed, if he wakes up, he stays in there. Now that we have transitioned to a toddler bed, this I thought, was going to be a struggle, but he's been so good, and stays asleep now.

It was very hard to let him cry and I hated it more than anything, but nothing else worked and believe me, I tried EVERYTHING! It only took a couple of nights for him to know that we weren't coming back in the room, and that night time meant sleep!

Re: Co-sleeping transition to crib...Anyone successful without the CIO method?

have you tried rocking him with white noise in the background? It might be the thing that helps him get into a deeper sleep so when you put him down, he can still hear that. Im not sure if it will help but I guess its worth a shot.

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Re: Co-sleeping transition to crib...Anyone successful without the CIO method?

White noise is fabulous! I bought one of those cds that has the sounds of nature or something like that (no music), and we use the rushing waters one and have it running on repeat all night, and that soooo helps my kids sleep!
(but we still had to CIO in order to get them to sleep.....)